Recently, on the Asia Airlines AK1516 flight from Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia to Shanghai, a woman defecated in her seat, creating a foul odor that overwhelmed the passengers on board. The cabin crew had to perform a basic clean-up immediately and complete a thorough cleaning and disinfection after the flight landed and all passengers disembarked.
The incident occurred on August 19 when several passengers flying from Malaysia to Shanghai Pudong Airport took to social media to vent their frustrations. On the Asia Airlines AK1516 flight that departed from Kota Kinabalu International Airport on August 18 at 10:30 p.m. and arrived at Shanghai Pudong Airport around 3:00 a.m. the next day, a passenger defecated in her seat, causing a foul smell that left everyone feeling disgusted.
According to a report from the Chinese media outlet “Xinmin Evening News,” on August 20, an interviewed netizen mentioned that they were seated next to the passenger who defecated. The netizen and the defecating passenger were separated by an aisle. The unpleasant smell spread rapidly, waking up passengers in surrounding rows. It wasn’t until a passenger in the front row noticed feces on the floor that the netizen realized the extent of the situation.
The cabin crew members were notified about the feces on the floor and immediately took action. Passengers described the crew using tissues to clean up and spraying air freshener, but the smell was overpowering. With the air conditioning turned off for landing, the 40-minute ordeal was described as agonizing.
Another report from the Chinese media outlet “Jiemu News” quoted a passenger, Mr. Zhuo, expressing his outrage, saying, “This is too much.”
Mr. Zhuo recounted that he and his wife were on the Asia Airlines AK1516 flight from Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia to Shanghai Pudong Airport on the night of August 18. Around 2 a.m., while most passengers were asleep, they suddenly noticed a foul smell, initially thinking someone had vomited. But upon discovery of feces on the floor in front of them, everyone was shocked.
The woman who defecated in her seat appeared to be in her forties and was accompanied by two boys around 10 years old. The boys were seated by the window and on the aisle, with the woman in the middle seat.
Mr. Zhuo and his wife were seated in the same row, with the woman across the aisle from them. Initially, they thought the feces were from one of the children. Mr. Zhuo’s wife, angered by the situation, questioned the boys. Eventually, the woman in the skirt admitted to defecating in her seat.
Late at night with the cabin lights dimmed, the act went unnoticed by both the crew and passengers until the smell became unbearable.
Several passengers from the same flight revealed that the woman involved did not apologize to those around her after the incident.
In a report by the “Beijing Youth Daily,” a witness at the scene commented, “What we want to say is, Asia Airlines should compensate us. In case bacteria are spread through feces, this auntie with diarrhea didn’t declare any illness and didn’t apologize to everyone.”
On August 21, Asia Airlines issued a statement confirming the incident and stated that the cabin crew immediately performed a basic cleanup of the feces. After the flight landed and all passengers disembarked, a thorough cleaning and disinfection were conducted.
However, Asia Airlines did not mention any compensation in their statement.
The incident sparked discussions among netizens. Many found the woman’s actions unbelievable, with comments like, “Can’t believe there are people like this in the world?” and “Passengers on the same flight must have been so frustrated.”
Some criticized the woman’s lack of knowledge about airplane etiquette, suggesting that passengers who behave this way should face severe penalties to serve as a lesson and regardless of their nationality.
Multiple Chinese media reports did not mention the nationality of the woman involved, but speculation among netizens suggested she was Chinese. Some Malaysians of Chinese descent referenced recent misbehaviors by Chinese tourists, expressing disappointment in the declining behavior possibly influenced by the Communist Party ruling.
Similar incidents have occurred in mainland China in recent years.
In a report, in the early hours of May 27, 2026, a Didi ride-hailing driver in Nanchong, Sichuan Province, conveyed a female passenger who emitted a strong odor upon entering the vehicle. Despite being conscious and chatting on the phone with her boyfriend during the ride, the passenger did not request any stops or indicate any discomfort. After her exit, the driver discovered fecal matter had deeply penetrated the seat cushion and seams. Despite multiple attempts to clean, the smell persisted, leading the driver to replace the rear seat at his own expense, resulting in a loss of around 2,000 yuan.
The driver reported the incident to the police, but no action was taken. The ride-hailing platform confirmed it was a third-party booking, and the person who placed the order claimed not to know the actual passenger and could not be reached, leading the platform to cover the cost of seat replacement and cleaning and provide a subsidy to the driver.
In a similar incident in Shanghai in November 2024, a female passenger defecated in a ride-hailing car and, after negotiations, compensated the driver with 700 yuan.